Watch Video Music Box

Video Music Box premiered in 1983 on local cable television in New York City. It quickly became a cultural phenomenon as the first-ever music video show dedicated to hip-hop music. The show was created by Ralph McDaniels, a DJ and video producer, with the intention of showcasing the burgeoning underground hip-hop scene in New York City.

At the time, hip-hop was still considered a niche genre, and mainstream media outlets were largely ignoring it. McDaniels saw an opportunity to give the artists and music he loved a platform on which to be seen and heard. And so Video Music Box was born.

The show aired on public access TV in New York City, which meant it had a limited audience. But as word spread, it started to gain a following beyond the city limits. Fans of hip-hop from all over the country would tune in to catch clips of their favorite artists performing on the streets of New York.

Video Music Box quickly became a must-watch program for anyone interested in the emerging hip-hop scene. The show featured music videos, interviews with artists, live performances, and even the occasional dance contest. McDaniels was especially keen on spotlighting the lesser-known artists who were just starting out, giving many of them their first exposure on television.

The show faced some challenges along the way, however. Perhaps most notably, Video Music Box was hit with a lawsuit from MTV, which claimed that the show was infringing on its copyright by airing music videos without permission. McDaniels fought the lawsuit and won, setting a precedent that would ultimately pave the way for other hip-hop shows and channels to air music videos.

Despite these challenges, Video Music Box continued to thrive. Over the years, the show hosted almost every significant artist in the hip-hop world, including Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur, Public Enemy, and Run-DMC. McDaniels also continued to push the boundaries of what was possible on a low-budget cable access TV show, using his creativity and technical wizardry to elevate the production values of the program.

Video Music Box eventually ended its run on public access television in 1996, but the impact it had on the hip-hop world cannot be overstated. The show helped to bring the genre into the mainstream and introduced countless people to the music and culture of hip-hop. McDaniels and his team were pioneers in every sense of the word, carving out a space for themselves and their community at a time when few others were willing to do so.

Today, Video Music Box remains a beloved institution in the world of hip-hop. McDaniels and his team continue to promote the culture through a variety of channels, including a new podcast, proving that the spirit of creativity and community that drove the show in its early days is as strong as ever.